Citizenship practices and co-production of local social policies in Southern Europe

Abstract

The economic crisis and austerity have weakened social policies at different levels and have increased exclusion dynamics in cities through the rise of unemployment and precarious employment, increasing poverty and the exclusion of denizens from labour market and social services. In Southern Europe, a wave of mobilization against austerity brought claims for a new citizenship agenda and the strengthening of participation of citizens in decision-making. At the local scale, these claims were accompanied by innovative initiatives to respond to growing deprivation based on involvement of citizens and co-production of policies. The chapter argues that the contribution of organized citizens and residents in cities in southern Europe has created urban constituencies to defend and innovate local social policy.